5 killed, 11 wounded in clash in S. Philippines

Source:Xinhua Published: 2013-10-9 17:44:57

A fierce battle erupted Tuesday between government troops and rebels in Southern Philippine province of Basilan had left at least 5 people killed and 11 others wounded, a military official updated the casualties on Wednesday.

The military said the troops from the Philippine Army's 4th Scout Ranger Battalion clashed with the combined forces of the Abu Sayyaf group and rogue forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the mountain of Ungkaya Pukan town, Basilan on Tuesday.

Two government troops, including an Army captain, were killed and at least four others injured in the firefight, the military said late on Tuesday, adding that it can not determine if there were casualties on the enemy side then.

Colonel Carlito Galvez, chief of Army troops in Basilan, said on Wednesday that the rebels suffered 3 killed, including a sub- leader, and 7 wounded in the fierce fighting which went on until late Tuesday afternoon before the rebels retreated.

On the government troops' side, the company commander of scout ranger and another soldier were killed, 4 others were also wounded in the encounter, the military official revealed.